2000 Renault Espace MK3 Road Test & Review - Matty's Cars

The Renault Espace is the only choice if you want an interesting 7 seater. While rivals took a more conservative approach Renault went full on French with the MK3 Espace and the space age design is something to behold.
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[@markpunt9638]

Wow that brought back some memories. A friend of mine, who worked at a Renault dealership, had at least three - all diesel and they used to tow his caravan and the family with ease. I thought they were amazing vehicles - just so much space. You reminded me of the picnic tables that folded the wrong way!

[@MattysCars]

Glad you enjoyed the video Mark😁

[@Muushondje]

That was a cool trip down memory lane. Imho this generation was the best looking Espace with a design like a French TGV train. Keep up the good work.

[@MattysCars]

Thanks mate. Yeah this was the last Espace to stay true to the original in my opinion

[@TubeTV-uz7vc]

Hi there I'm so impressed that people have got videos of this actual grand espace.. I was a mid ish teenager when these were around. I so fell in love with them straight away. This person is so right this mk3 was and still is the best looking one ever built.. sadly I've not seen these on the road for well over a decade or even longer than that. Shame I so loved these once. I used to look at these in the autotrader BOOK.. bud I could see there was fewer been for sale after a time. I so want one.. my absolute favourite one was silver or red metallic 3.0L V6 24v privallage. That was the very top spec version.. all the hi tech toys at the time you could have wanted . Only problem now is I can't even find not one for sale at all anymore. Can anyone tell of a site that would sell these? Oh and it's a first for me to see a late teens early 20s lad driving a espace. Never seen that before. Impressed 🙂 I grew up with the mk2 espace it was a 1992 J reg grey silver metallic. I think the spec was RN 2.0L it was known to be underpowered when all seats were in use. If that is of any interest to anyone going down memory lane 🙂

[@squealingtyres]

Great review lad 👍

[@MattysCars]

Thanks laa

[@maximusprime49]

This is an amazing video man great job, I came across this as im mentioning the espace in my next video.

[@MattysCars]

Thanks lad what's the video?

[@maximusprime49]

@@MattysCars it was on old digicams and the nostalgia and i briefly mentioned the nostalgia we had as it was our old family car

[@1beeching]

Great vid Matty....ok,so..last vid you broke the saxo, this vid you broke the espace, these things come in 3s, so what you breaking next vid?;)

[@MattysCars]

Hey I never broke the Saxo she just wanted to bunk off!

[@1beeching]

@@MattysCars 😂 yeah....ok. happy xmas Matty

[@imnotamechanic3491]

I went on a road trip for a Boys Brigade weekend in a Mk3 Espace, 2 man-child adults and 5 adolescent boys, this one had the remote CD player, so the boys at the back were controlling the music when they weren't aggravating other drivers with rude signs. Now I have the coupe version - the Avantime, and have not had many reliability issues. The owner is spot on about parts though, they are difficult to get, partly because the Espace was built by Matra rather than Renault, and Matra went bust through the manufacture of the Avantime, so whilst the engine and gearbox are Renault, many other parts are not shared with other vehicles and so haven't been manufactured in almost 20 years. You forgot to mention that the Espace has a plastic body!

[@MattysCars]

Sounds like an experience that road trip! Yes! So many others have told the story of Matra so much better than me so I kind of left it to them. But should have mentioned the plastic body

[@TubeTV-uz7vc]

Hi there.. when you said the espace had a plastic body.. you're meaning the fibreglass roof right?

[@TubeTV-uz7vc]

It's a first for me to see a late teens early 20s lad driving a espace. Never seen that before. Impressed 🙂 I grew up with the mk2 espace it was a 1992 J reg grey silver metallic. I think the spec was RN 2.0L it was known to be underpowered when all seats were in use. If that is of any interest to anyone going down memory lane 🙂

[@MattysCars]

Wish I was still in me late teens but it's mid 20s unfortunately! This Espace must bring back memories then. I think definitely back then (excluding perhaps a 3 litre Chrysler) they must have all felt a little bit slow when fully laden.

[@TubeTV-uz7vc]

Thank you. This is by far my favourite espace generation.. the mk4 was spoiled by its strange design. This one I so miss being on the roads 😐 hope you enjoyed driving it. Not many young people your rough age would be wanting to drive that type of MPV

[@TubeTV-uz7vc]

@@MattysCars lol yes just a bit because when I was in the third row of seats a British mini version car overtook our espace and I remember being quite shocked on that because the old minis were not that powerful and I thought the espace had a bigger engine but forgetting about it all seats being in use.. that was about 1993 ish. I was 10 and a half years old at that time. My God were has the years gone lol.. yes the grand voyage I liked and definitely have the 3.3 by through if you did your homework deeper could possibly have imported one from the USA with the 3.8 by or v8 . Can't remember if it was a v6 or v8 on that engine size.. nice cars they were.. perfect family suburban minivans back then

[@justaskingstoke6139]

still love the look of these nice vid

[@MattysCars]

Thank you!

[@CarCultureClub]

Nice review mate, you should've made it a convertible though!

[@MattysCars]

I know. It's just the budget won't stretch you know😂

[@alfienaylor1587]

@@MattysCarsNot to mention the compensation costs when you destroy someone’s car wash with it.

[@markonmotoring]

My Grandad had a 2.0 RT Auto MK3 Espace new in the late 90's and it felt like riding around in a space ship compared to other cars. Owning a 97 Mégane Coupe I can confirm that getting hold of parts for a 90's French car can be tricky. Hopefully that clutch issue will just be a failed linkage rather than the clutch itself.

[@MattysCars]

Parts are a nightmare. Peugeot Citroen are slightly better. The spaceshipness of the Espace was surreal

[@markjohn4802]

Glove box is also a drink cooler. They did a longer Le Grand Espace

[@TubeTV-uz7vc]

Grand espace yes.. came out about 1998. Add the tailgate window and bingo even better and look better for when the rear wiper to sit more in the 3pm position

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Sir, I almost broke down on a test drive back in October. It did not quite go as badly as this, however....

[@MattysCars]

I'm so glad it belonged to an understanding owner...

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@MattysCars , he did seem very understanding, sir!

[@valentinoschristofi]

My favourite espace generation was the mk2

[@TubeTV-uz7vc]

I grew up with the mk2 with the adjustable roof bars but didn't have the twin sunroof. They were bit rare at that time of it's life on the rn spec. The upper spec did have them.. and if you check out the mk2 espace roof structure you could actually get a third sunroof put in.. tho wasn't a common sight to find on the roads but a few had the third sunroof

[@user-gk9cn1mf1h]

I have a MK3 V6 24v 3ltr automatic the starter motor or solenoid is playing up could be a nightmare to get at ...

[@MattysCars]

Persevere

[@williamwebb6178]

Renault still makes an Espace which now a executive crossover minibus and Renault doesn't export it to the UK.

[@MattysCars]

Aye I've seen it. Looks a nice car

[@williamwebb6178]

@@MattysCars Renault withdrew the Espace along with some other models in the Renault range back in 2012